Richard Cosway, RA, British 1742-1821- A lady, wearing a blue...

Richard Cosway, RA,
British 1742-1821-

A lady, wearing a blue cloak with white fur trim, a white bandeau in her hair, c.1800;

watercolour on ivory in a gold frame, oval, the reverse with a lock of brown hair tied with seed pearls and gold wire, 7 cm. high, Ivory registration submission reference: XR66ZAM6.

Provenance:
with Philip Mould, London [no.3779].

Note:
Cosway was a prominent miniaturist in Georgian and Regency society. He was the only artist ever to hold the official position of 'Painter to the Prince of Wales', to which he was appointed in 1785. He thrived under the Prince's patronage, producing over 50 portraits for him and for other members of the royal family. The soft, delicate lines of Cosway's miniatures allowed him to render his sitters in a particularly tender and sensitive manner, which likely accounted for the artist's immense popularity amongst his contemporaries. The present work would have had highly personal and sentimental significance to its owner and sitter, in part exemplified, of course, by the lock of hair at verso.